


Thunderbirds Are Go – “The Trouble With The Tinies: The Art of Inhibitions”

by countessofsnark



Series: The Trouble With The Terrible Two [3]
Category: Thunderbirds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-21
Updated: 2018-07-21
Packaged: 2019-06-14 01:47:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15377979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/countessofsnark/pseuds/countessofsnark
Summary: Based on a prompt by @wonderavianVirgil takes the tinies to an art exhibition. Think the tinies could ever behave for once? Not a chance.





	Thunderbirds Are Go – “The Trouble With The Tinies: The Art of Inhibitions”

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a prompt by @wonderavian
> 
> _Virgil takes the tinies to an art exhibition. Think the tinies could ever behave for once? Not a chance._

The very moment Virgil found out that London’s National Gallery was going to host an exhibition about one of his favourite Pre-Raphaelite painters, he was desperately counting down the day until the Gallery’s website allowed ticket pre-orders. Scott suggested that while he’s at it, he might as well try and round up the tinies for an educational afternoon at the museum. Virgil, seeing no harm in this in spite of disastrous past experiences, accepts his older brother’s suggestion and proceeds to book two more tickets. 

During the commute into central London, Virgil was quietly humming to himself. His eyes were glowing with barely contained anticipation and excitement. Gordon and Alan had seldom seen this side of Virgil. They exchanged confused glances and smirks of amusement.

‘I think Virgil is broken,’ Alan chuckles as they emerge from the long tunnel that winds from Charing Cross station to Trafalgar Square. Virgil is already halfway across the square, obeying the call of art that’s drawing him in like a kid to a candy shop.

‘You reckon whe should turn him off and on again?’ Gordon replies, his mouth warping in to a mischievous grin.

‘Nah, let’s wait and see what happens when we get inside.’

‘Good plan. I hope these Pre-Raphaelites aren’t as boring as his last art obsession.’

‘Nothing can outbore Impressionist art. I can’t believe he wanted to spend hours painting miniscule dots onto a canvas. If you hadn’t pinched me, I swear I would have fallen asleep during his photo tour of the Musée D’Orsay,’ Alan yawns, feeling the sting of jetlag and lack of sleep setting in.

The tinies shuffle into the Gallery’s impressive main hall and up the stairs, having finally cought up with their big brother. They tag along as he steers them straight towards the exhibition. Their fears of unbearable boredom are soon turned into mischievous delight when they notice that these paintings are bursting with emotions and dramatic expressions. Gordon and Alan exchange a fistbump behind Virgil’s back.

‘Gordon, remember when Mom used to read us that famous Tennyson poem and you’d beg her for encores? Here she is, the Lady of Shalot. Look at the way…’ 

Virgil’s voice slowly trails off while he’s pointing at John William Waterhouse’s beautiful painting. He scans the room for the Terrible Two, despair and fear beginning to replace the fuzzy warmth of being surrounded by art. 

‘Where the hell did they go off to now?’ he mutters under his breath.

He walks into the next room, relieved to spot his brothers sitting in front of Millais’ Ophelia. They wave at him when he approaches, following him as he strides towards another all-time favourite by Millais called A Huguenot. It features a distressed woman looking up at a man, who is holding her in a loving embrace. 

Just as Virgil opens his mouth to offer some background information about the painting, he spots his brothers standing to the left of the canvas, appearing to imitate the couple while trying hard not to crack up. Virgil squints disapprovingly and moves on without saying a word. Gordon and Alan break their pose and quickly tail their brother across the room.

Their next target is William Holman Hunt’s The Shadow of Death, a religious work about the foreshadowing of Christ’s crucification. Before Virgil has a chance to continue his personalised audio guide of the exhibition, Gordon twirls in front of the painting, assuming the same pose and overly dramatic facial expression. Cue muffled laughter coming from behind Virgil’s back, where Alan is pressing both hands against his mouth. 

Virgil’s hands are now balled up into fists but still he manages to keep his cool and simply walks away into the adjacent room, hoping that this time around, he’ll be able to get Gordon to actually pay attention to art.

‘Look, Gordon, here’s something that’s right up your alley. It’s called Sirens, by John William Waterhouse. As you can see, not all mermaids are half fish-half human, unlike Walt Dis-‘

Before Virgil can finish that sentence, Gordon pops up behind him. His shrill voice makes every single person in the room pause and stare at them.

‘HEY ALAN, CHECK IT OUT. BOOBIES!’

When Virgil’s prayers for inner strength and patience go unheard, he proceeds to count to five before grabbing the tinies by their shirt collars and ignoring the dozen pairs of eyes that are judging the trio while they continue their walk of shame towards the exit.


End file.
